Boating & Sailing in San Francisco

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Boating & Sailing

San Francisco Bay has year-round sailing, but tricky currents and strong winds make the bay hazardous for inexperienced navigators. Boat rentals and charters are available throughout the Bay Area and are listed under "Boat Renting" in the Yellow Pages.

Near Fisherman's Wharf, from spring through fall, Adventure Cat Sailing (Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf. 415/777-1630 or 800/498-4228. www.adventurecat.com) takes passengers aboard a 55-foot-long catamaran. The kids can play on the trampoline-like net between the two hulls while you sip drinks on the wind-protected sundeck. A 90-minute bay cruise costs $25; sunset sails with drinks and hors d'oeuvres are $45.

Rendezvous Charters (Pier 40, South Beach Harbor. 415/543-7333. www.rendezvouscharters.com) offers individually ticketed trips on large sailing yachts, including sunset sails ($25) and Sunday brunch cruises on a schooner ($40).

Spinnaker Sailing (Pier 40, South Beach Harbor. 415/543-7333. www.spinnaker-sailing.com) offers sailing instruction and charters private sailboats with or without a skipper (bring your log book if you want to captain a boat yourself).

Both Rendezvous and Spinnaker are south of the Ferry Building on the eastern waterfront, right next to AT&T Park, not next to Pier 39.

If you prefer calm, fresh water, you can rent rowboats ($14 per hour), pedal boats ($19 per hour), and electric motorboats ($29 per hour) at Stow Lake (Off John F. Kennedy Dr., 1/2 mi west of 10th Ave., Golden Gate Park. 415/752-0347), in Golden Gate Park. Remember to bring cash (they don't accept anything else) and bread crumbs for the ducks. The lake is open daily for boating, weather permitting, but call for seasonal hours.